North American Auction Company
Timed Auction

Last Chance March 2025 Passed Lots Sale - End April 4th

Mon, Mar 31, 2025 02:00AM EDT - Fri, Apr 4, 2025 03:00PM EDT
Lot 706

Louis Marx & Co. Wind Up Tin Tractor c. 1940-50s

Estimate: $150 - $200

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
Featured in this lot is this Louis Marx & Company windup, Power Snap Caterpillar Climbing Tractor circa 1940-50s. Louis B. Marx, born on August 11, 1896, in Brooklyn, New York. In 1919, Marx founded Louis Marx & Company, paying toy makers to make goods for him until he bought production facilities in 1921. Marx created and produced a wide range of toys, and the business also enhanced and improved toys produced by other manufacturers before selling them at lower prices. Marx purchased manufacturing facilities in Erie, Girard, Pennsylvania, Glen Dale, West Virginia, and the nearby city of Wheeling in the early 1930s. An addition was constructed in 1948–1949 to facilitate the manufacture of plastic toys. In the 1940s and 1950s, Marx became the greatest toy manufacturer in the world due to the enormous Glen Dale factory, which produced more toys than any other Marx facility. At Glen Dale, four unions were active, and there were over 2,000 employees at the start of the 1960s. But, once Louis Marx sold the business to the Quaker Oats Corporation in April 1972, business began to decrease. In April 1976, Quaker sold to Dunbee-Combex Ltd. In January 1980, Glen Dale's 800 employees were laid off, and the renamed Dunbee-Combex-Marx shortly declared bankruptcy. Louis Marx passed away on February 5, 1982, at his home in Scarsdale, New York. This toy shows a yellow and red color scheme with the front and front sides reading, "Marx" in red lettering. The tractor is wound with a key that is fixed on the right hand side. When wound, the tractor does not move, the starting lever is on the top and needs to be pushed forward to engage the driving mechanism. The tractor is missing the tin man driver and the rubber treads that go around the tires, but shows good, working condition throughout. The tractor shows good condition overall with slight wear present from its age and use over the years but no major signs of damage is noted. It measures 8" L x 4 3/4" W x 4 1/8" H and weighs 12 ounces.

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